Hogwarts Study Panel

Chapter 415, Section 413: Ancient Magic

The air inside the cabin was filled with the sweet scent of pear juice, and a warm yellow light shone down on the heads of the person and the cat.

Helena took a sip of the sweet pear juice, watching and listening quietly. She thought that no moment could have made her feel more at ease than this one.

"Ancient magic, let's call it that for now."

Helena told me, "You must know something about it."

The old Ravenclaw books flipped through the pages, and the black cat's ears twitched uncontrollably.

"Yes, Ms. Ravenclaw."

Of course I've seen the black cat.

Lily's magic to protect Harry is a powerful form of ancient magic; the Curtain of the Department of Mysteries should also be considered ancient magic; and finally, the Soul Relics he possesses, including the legendary Deathly Hallows sought by many wizards, should all be classified as ancient magic.

But... what exactly is ancient magic?
Avada Kedavra?

The black cat suddenly thought of it.

"In the early stages of magic, ancient wizards struggled to survive on the magical continent."

My successor, you should know the story of the giants' rampage, and you should also know the legend of the fire dragon's slaughter.

At that time, magic had only revealed a glimpse of its mystery, insufficient to sustain wizards' survival on a magical continent.

As Ravenclaw spoke, he pointed his finger toward the black cat.

Scenes appeared in the cabin, as if the Pensieve had recreated memories.

Giants wreaked havoc in the wizarding community, and dragons swept fiercely across the wizards' hiding places, spewing dragonfire from the low sky.

"The most chaotic and blind times are also when the most powerful forces are being conceived."

Ravenclaw's fingers twitched, and the screen rotated as if it had been sped up.

A wizard climbed to the mountaintop, raised his wand, and a thick bolt of lightning struck the roaring fire dragon like a world-destroying thunderbolt.
A wizard stood in the center of the settlement, surrounded by flames more magnificent than any giant.

"What is ancient magic? Is there a fundamental difference between it and the magic you use today?"

Ravenclaw seemed to be asking himself a question.

I think not.

Ravenclaw said.

These words made the black cat catch its breath. It gently lowered its tail to the pumpkin juice, and a thoughtful look appeared in its green eyes.

"Then, my successor, do you believe that the ancient wizards endowed ancient magic with great power, or that ancient magic brought great power to the ancient wizards?"

Ravenclaw asked.

"The magic itself has never changed; it was the wizards who endowed ancient magic with such power."

I believe that when magic was in its nascent stage, ancient wizards embarked on a path that led directly to the origins of magic.

They explored the essence of magic and built an unbreakable faith for themselves with knowledge and wisdom.

When they find the right magical ritual, a truly powerful magical force is born.

The black cat spoke faster and faster, its eyes sparkling.

"They were quite intelligent... But for the wizards of that time, it was either master more powerful magic or die. This was their dilemma, and it is also the origin of what you call ancient magic."

Ravenclaw nodded slightly.

"But why has ancient magic disappeared without a trace?"

The black cat was somewhat confused.

"After Helena's account, I understood that the decline of ancient magic was absolutely certain."

The complexities of ancient magic may not be suitable for a place in today's magical world. Now that you know the origins of ancient magic, you should also know that it is a wizard's unwavering belief.

Very few wizards have devoted exceptionally much effort to a particular magical field, accumulating enough wisdom to construct a system unique to their class.

Therefore, such magic is destined not to be widely mastered.

Ravenclaw opened his palm.

The black cat could see the wizards exploring different magical realms in the scene.

"Ancient magic is dangerous; it chooses the right wizard, not the other way around."

In the hands of different wizards, it presents varying degrees of difficulty. Unpredictability and danger have always been its hallmarks, even in earlier centuries.

Ravenclaw has finished speaking.

The black cat understood.

Rather than calling ancient magic a specific type of magic, it's more accurate to describe it as a system of wizarding practices.

In order to survive in the dangerous magical world, ancient wizards took different paths, all of which pursued power and protection, and thus produced great effectiveness.

Wizards pursue knowledge of magic, and this belief, in turn, enhances their magical power.

Therefore, the origin of ancient magic lies in the wizards themselves.

The wizard himself created this magical power.

The magic of love, the magic of death, the magic of time... Even Sheen himself has created magic such as "Fire Dragon Wings" and "Vine Stone Guardian".

"Exceptional wisdom is the greatest wealth, do you understand, my student?"

Ravenclaw's voice was very soft, as if floating on the clouds.

And Sheen also realized that magic was simply a matter of stepping on one foot with the other:
The wizard mastered some magic through exploration, and the magic he mastered strengthened his beliefs.
The wizard's strengthened belief made magic even more powerful, and the wizard then went on to explore the source of this increased power, which led to the wizard's belief being strengthened once again...

Infinite loop.

As for why wizarding magic is no longer as powerful, the reason is quite simple.

No need.

Wizards no longer need such powerful magic.

They had a home and had established dominance in the magical world, so they no longer needed such complex and dangerous magic.

Magic has become simpler, more practical, and more convenient to use.

"The fog is rising. Do you have any questions?"

Ravenclaw crouched down, and the black cat could see her pale blue pupils.

"If you're willing to answer, I'd like to know how I can master ancient magic."

In the end, the black cat still asked the question.

Most of the knowledge of ancient magic has been lost. Even though the Black Cat read many books at Hogwarts, he was unable to understand any complete system.

Or rather, the entire magical world doesn't really know about it.

After all, if ancient magic hadn't been lost, there wouldn't be a job called "curse breaker."

Being a curse remover is a rather dangerous and serious profession, and it is very challenging.

Gringotts hire curse breakers to break curses in ancient tombs or other historical sites and bring treasures back to Gringotts Wizarding Bank.

These curse breakers face considerable danger in their work; they could be killed directly by ancient curses, poisons, or spells.

"This is the second point I want to tell you: the continuation of knowledge is the first priority. Where do you think wisdom should reside?"

(End of this chapter)